Buying or selling a home across Orange County requires sufficient knowledge in the entire process from the initial offer to closing. Thus, one must be aware that death disclosure in the home is a requirement. Here's what you need to know.
Property Disclosure Documents
No matter how perfect a house looks on the outside, a buyer often needs to disclose property information before the sale begins. Property disclosure documents reveal known structural issues, HOA details, water damage, notable repairs, and even death in the home.
However, rules for reporting a death in the home vary by state. These variations in rules may include:
- Timeframe: When the death occurred.
- How the person passed away: If the death occurred naturally versus due to negligence on the property.
- Hauntings: If the seller knows that the property has haunting cases.
So what are the rules in California?
- The SFGate reported that if someone dies on the property in California, it's a material defect. However, not only if the death occurred within three years of the date you make an offer to purchase or rent the home.
For a state-by-state guide on disclosure laws, we recommend visiting this resource on Nolo.com.
Remediating After a Death in a Home
If a death recently occurred in the home you're hoping to purchase, there could be biohazards from bloodborne pathogens that required remediation. Ask the seller how the death underwent remediation to ensure proper steps were taken. Remediation processes may vary depending on the location of the death, how the death occurred, types of flooring, and if the death was undiscovered for days or weeks.
Bio-one is Here to Help
Bio-One technicians possess skills and knowledge to properly disinfect biohazards from bloodborne pathogens. We also ensure safe biohazard material handling and disposal. Once the entire area meets cleanliness from blood and body fluids, we help property owners restore the location to its pre-incident state.
If you are selling a home and need a biohazard remediated or want to ensure remediation was done correctly, call Bio-One. Our experts not only contain and disinfect dangerous biological materials, but we also carry out our work in a caring and private manner.
To learn more about our services, call us to request additional information and schedule an evaluation with our team. We are a locally owned, biohazard cleaning company serving ALL of Orange County, California. Call us at 714-597-6845 for 24/7 service.
